It has been known that two-handled shovels, particularly snow shovels, provide a second handle that allows the user to lift without bending at the waist and to therefore use leg muscles rather than back muscles. As a result, considerable strain and possible injuries are avoided.
Despite the considerable health advantages of a two-handled shovel, and the stress and strain that may be avoided by its use, few two-handled shovels are actually used and sold on the commercial market. One reason may be that the public still remains generally ignorant of the advantages of a second handle, but other reasons include the unwillingness of the public to buy tools with non-removable second handles or to buy new tools with second handles to replace existing tools without second handles. Additionally, the inability of most second handles to adjust to fit both the user and the job makes them only marginally better than no second handle at all.
Two-handled shovels that have been disclosed to date generally provide advantages to the user, but frequently present problems not present in an unmodified shovel. Often the construction of two-handled shovels tends to weaken the shovel itself, by requiring that holes be drilled, or other modifications made, in the handle shaft to attach the second handle. Other two-handled shovels tend to weigh substantially more than before modified, and most make no provision for the user to use the shovel in its unmodified manner, if desired. Often either no provision is made to accommodate left-handed users, or the second handle may be a compromise between left- and right-handed users, and not particularly well-suited for use by either. Some other two-handled shovel designs fail to provide a means for the user to adjust the location of attachment of the second shovel up or down the primary handle of the shovel, to accommodate the height of the user.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an attachment, adaptable for use with any existing shovel, snow shovel, rake, hoe, pitchfork or other tool already owned by a user, that may be used to provide a second handle. The attachment should be removable, and easily installed on a second tool. The attachment should provide a means to adjust between left-handed, right-handed and neutral positions. The attachment should be adjustable up and down the tool's handle shaft between locations appropriate to tall or short users. The attachment should be adjustable between tools having a narrow handle shaft diameter and tools having a wider handle shaft diameter. The attachment should allow adjustment of the angle between the second handle and the primary handle. The attachment should be extremely strong, and inexpensive to manufacture.